The Legend of the Candy Cane
by TheLadySongSerenade
Summary: there is a legend behind this extra famoos xmas candy. it is a book I took the book and expanded off it. it's not really a fairy tale. I just didn't know what to put it under. they need more categories!
1. Prologue

Hola. so, um, I decided to write this story cuz it seemed like a good idea... I hope you like it. it's not all that wondrous or anything. it's just a kid's story I expanded on. I meant to write and post it for christmas, but it didn't really work out that way, huh? oh well, there's a reason why there are twelve days of christmas.

Disclaimer: I don't own. Right now i couldn't tell you who does, but I can tell you I don't own it. 'Specially not the bold stuffs. we clear? this applys to the whole story please!

PROLOGUE

"**One dreary evening in the depths of November a stranger rode into town. He stopped his horse in front of a lonely storefront. The windows were boarded shut and the door was locked fast. But the man looked at it, smiled, and said, 'It will do.'"**

John Sonneman was tired and cold. He didn't want to keep riding on in the pouring rain. Both he and his horse were tired and bedraggled. But he couldn't rest yet, though. No, he was on a mission. And it all depended on… yes, that's it. There it is. A building was slowly becoming clearer and more distinct by the second.

The place had clearly been abandoned for quite a while. The windows were all boarded up, the door was shut and there was a padlock holding it fast. John managed not to snort. Were they expecting thieves to camp out in there? His humor died quickly as he felt water drip off the brim of his hat and slide down his neck.

He sat on his horse in front of the lonely storefront for a moment more. As he shivered in the cold November wind, one word crossed his mind. _Perfect_. He smiled to himself. "It will do," he said.


	2. Chapter 1

And here's chapter one. it's a bit odd. just giving you warning. same disclaimer applies. please review.

ONE

"**All through the gray short days and the long dark nights of November, the man worked. The townspeople could hear the faint **_**pam pam pam**_** of his hammer and the **_**snish snish snish**_** of his saw. They could smell the sweet clean scent of new lumber and the deep oily smell of new paint. But no one knew who the man was or what he was doing."**

John groaned as the sun shone in his eyes. Shielding his eyes against the glare, he sat up in his borrowed bed. He pulled on a clean pair of pants and a clean shirt. He pulled on his suspenders and laced his boots. Splashing water on his face, he dried it with a towel next to the wash basin. He grabbed his coat from the foot of his bed and marched out the door.

He nodded good morning at the landlady, grabbed a breakfast roll from the table, and promptly left the building. He walked briskly through the sleepy town to the town hall. Stepping inside, he shut the door firmly behind him. He walked up to the desk. There behind sat a clerk not much younger than him.

"Hello," he greeted the man.

The man looked up. "Oh, hello, sir." The clerk smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"I wish to purchase the abandoned building on the corner," John Sonneman said.

The clerk nodded briskly. "Of course, sir."

The transaction was made quickly. As John signed the papers that would make the building his, the clerk smiled, "I'm glad someone's finally taken an interest in the building. It's been abandoned for ages."

John smiled back at the man. "Not anymore, it's not."

The clerk handed John the keys to the store. "No, I do suppose you're right. It's not abandoned anymore, is it?"

With a shake of his head and another smile, John turned away and walked out of the building. He stopped back at the inn and saw to his horse. "Hey there, Blaze," he murmured as he ran the brush down the horse's side. "How are you, boy?" The horse nickered softly in reply and nudged the man's hand with his nose.

"He's a beautiful horse," a female voice said behind him.

John turned around slightly, to see the speaker. He saw a young lady standing behind him, a gentle smile on her face. Her fair complexion was glowing and flushed with exercise, her blue eyes sparkling and bright. She was wearing shorter skirts than was fashionable, blatantly displaying her dirty, worn boots. Her light brown hair had obviously been previously done up neatly, but was now mussed and the loose curls escaping their pins.

"Yes," he agreed. "He is a beautiful horse."

The girl set down the bucket of feed she was holding and walked over to the horse and his master. "Hello there, you fine beast," she greeted. She turned to face John. "I'm Maggie, the innkeeper's daughter. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is all mine," John replied gallantly. "The inn is certainly a lovely place to stay."

Maggie flushed with pride. "Mama does try to keep it that way. The stables are my doing, mine and Papa's."

"Maggie!" a little girl's voice drifted into the stable from outside. "Mama wants you!"

Maggie turned her head towards the stable door. "Tell Mama I'll be there in a minute, Lucy."

Instead of listening, a small head of light brown curls popped into view. "But, Maggie, she wants you _now_."

Maggie sighed quietly. She smiled apologetically at John before turning to her sister. "Alright, Lucy. Let's go see Mama."

"It was nice meeting you," John called after her and her mini version.

Maggie tossed a smile at him over her shoulder. "It was nice meeting you too, Mr.—," she paused, not knowing his name.

"John," he supplied. "John Sonneman."

"Mr. John Sonneman," she finished with a wink.

Even after Maggie and her sister had long disappeared from the stables, he stood there in a daze. When the church bells rang out, signaling noon, he snapped out of his stupor. "Well, Blaze," he murmured to his horse. "I think I'm dead meat."

Blaze whinnied in agreement.

"Hey," John warned. "Watch it there, bucko. You remember who feeds you."

The horse snorted and stomped his feet.

"Okay," John replied, removing the horse's tack from the wall. "We'll leave as soon as I get you all saddled up."

Five minutes later, Maggie looked out the kitchen window to see John Sonneman riding away. "Mama," she called. "Mr. Sonneman is leaving."

Julia came and stood at the window with her daughter. "Well, dear, he's not imprisoned here. He's free to come'n'go. It's not unheard of."

"Do you know where he's goin'?" Maggie asked as they watched John's retreating back.

"Now, Maggie," Julia scolded. "It's not none of our business to stick our noses in Mr. Sonneman's business. Now don't you go pokin' that nosy nose where it don't belong!"

Maggie looked down, sufficiently scolded. "Sorry, Mama."

Julia sought to reassure her daughter. "'Sides," she said. "Mr. Sonneman there paid three whole months advance room and board, I don't think he'll be leavin' anytime soon, sweet."

Maggie gazed at her mother in shock. "What? I don't understand, Mama. What do you mean?"

"Well," Julia said slowly. "I got to thinkin' you were interested in that nice, handsome young man."

Maggie laughed as she picked up her abandoned rag and started wiping down tables. "And I get to thinkin' you're just silly, Mama."

Julia leveled her even gaze at her young daughter. "I might be silly, child, but you can be sure you'll come callin' on your dear old silly Mama when you find yourself helplessly smitten with a young man."

"Excuse me, Mistresses," a baritone voice sounded from the doorway. "I don't believe anyone here is going to be smitten with anyone but me."

Maggie's face lit up. "Papa!" she cried as she rushed around the table into her father's arms.

Julia turned to look at her husband. "Back so soon, my love?"

Thomas winked at his wife. "I couldn't stay away," he replied. He caught her hand, pulled her to him, and kissed her soundly while their daughter laughed in the background.

"Papa, you're home!" a bundle of cloth, giggles and kittens hit Thomas with a thump.

"Oof," he joked. "My, my, someone's gotten heavy."

Lucy glared when he set her back on her feet. "No I haven't!"

Thomas chuckled at his daughter's indignant glare. "Of course you haven't, darlin', I was only jokin'. You've just got so big since I last been seein' you."

"But, Papa, that was only last month," Lucy corrected.

Thomas swung the little girl around. "So it was, Lucy-goose. Does that mean you haven't grown? 'Cause I got some toys, but I'm afraid only big girls can use 'em."

"Oo!" Lucy squealed. "Toys?"

"O' course," Thomas set Lucy on her feet. "Don't I always bring back toys."

"And candy!"

"And candy," Thomas agreed. "Here's some for you, Lucy." He handed the eager girl a package.

Lucy unwrapped it. "Thank-you, Papa," she said around a mouthful of gumdrops.

"Now, now," Julia scolded. "Don't eat too many, else Papa'll have to wait to give you the rest of your gifts."

"Okay, Mama," Lucy skipped off. "Gum- drops. Gum- drops."

Thomas turned his keen gaze to his older daughter. "So," he said. "What's this I hear about a certain young man?"

Maggie blushed. "Nothin', Papa, there en't no young men anywhere. They're all so old," she finished with a wink.

Thomas chuckled. "I'm sure they are, Mags, but maybe that's 'cause you don't use your proper speakin'. C'mon. Let me hear it."

"What makes you think I wasn't using my proper speaking?" Maggie retorted.

"Because you just spoke clearer than less'n two second's ago," her father replied. "You can't trick a master, Maggie girl."

Maggie stuck her tongue out at her father in a surprisingly childish action. "I bet I can."

"So who's this about a young man?" Thomas changed the subject abruptly, trying to get his daughter to spill the gossip.

He could tell he hadn't tricked Maggie at all, but Julia took the incentive and stepped in. "Now, Thomas. No need to interrogate Maggie."

"Now, Julia," Thomas retorted. "I see every need to interrogate Maggie."

Maggie huffed. "And _I_ see every need to stop talkin' 'bout Maggie like she's not here."

Her parents looked at each other. "Nah."

Maggie rolled her eyes and stomped out. "His name's Mr. Sonneman," she called down the stairs. "He's Mama's new tenant."

Thomas raised his eyebrows at his wife. "Sonneman, hmm?"

~• •~

At that moment, the said John Sonneman was standing outside his newly acquired store. "It needs quite some work, Blaze," he said to the bay horse.

The horse was hitched up and whickered.

"Don't fret," John ordered. "All it needs is some work and a paint job and it'll look like the place was newly built."

Blaze snorted, clearly disbelieving.

John glared at his horse. "As if you could do better. Just you wait, Blaze. This is gonna be the finest shop in town."

Blaze nudged his master's shoulder gently with his nose. Absently, as he was already lost in his planning, John patted the horse's nose and got to work.

Over the next month, he sawed and hammered and cut. He slathered and painted and colored. He developed a daily routine. He woke up at the crack of dawn, got dressed and headed down for breakfast. He chatted with the owner's of the inn and with Maggie. He left for the store and worked until noon. At noon, he headed back to the inn where he talked to Maggie through dinner as she worked. Then he headed back for work and returned smelling of paint and primer in the evening in time for supper.

~• •~

"**The mayor hoped he was a doctor, to heal his illness. The young wives hoped he was a tailor, to make beautiful dresses. The farmers hoped he was a trader, to exchange their grain for goods. But the children had the strongest, deepest wish of all. A wish they did not tell their parents. A deep, quiet, secret wish that none of them said out loud. No one spoke to the man. No one asked if he needed help. They just waited. And watched. And wondered. And wished."**

~• •~

He knew the town was trying to figure out what he was up to. He knew the mayor wanted him to be a doctor to cure his constant illness. He knew the beautiful young wives wanted him to be a tailor to make them beautiful new dresses. He knew the farmers of the area wanted him to be a trader and have a general store for them to trade their grain with. He also knew he was none of these things. He was not John Sonneman, doctor. He wasn't John Sonneman, tailor. In fact, he barely knew the first thing about clothing. He was not even John Sonneman, trader.

He knew that the children were the closest in their wish. He knew Maggie wanted him to stay longer. And he wanted to stay longer. Because of Maggie and because of the children, and because— because he was happy in this town. And he was content to let them watch and wait as they watched the children's wish come to life.

He had just finished installing his new counter with all the shelves hidden underneath and the cabinets on the wall behind him. Now to unpack. But first, it was time for supper. With a satisfied smile, John locked up the store and mounted Blaze for the ride back to the inn. "Home, boy," John said.

Blaze started off down the road. When they reached the inn, John dismounted and led Blaze to the stables. "Hello, Maggie," he greeted the girl. "How are you this fine evening?"

Maggie smiled at the man and his horse. "I'm fine, thank you. And you?"

John inclined his head. "I believe I'm fine too, thank you for askin.'" Mentally he cursed himself for sounding so plain, she probably wasn't interested in plain men. Whoa there, John, he thought with a start. Where'd that thought come from?

"I can take care of Blaze for you, tonight," Maggie offered.

John hesitated, about to refuse her, but then he reasoned she could probably do a better job than he could. He realized she had seen the exhaustion etched on his face. "Okay, thank you."

She gave him a special smile. "It's no problem, Mr. Sonneman. He's a fine boy."

John grinned tiredly. "That he is." He frowned suddenly. "And don't call me Mr. Sonneman, I told you to call me John."

Maggie's eyebrows drifted up her forehead. "Okay, John. Whatever you say."

John tweaked her nose. "Pert."

Maggie tweaked his nose back. "Not."

Companionship was easy for the two. It was a pattern they'd fallen into not two days after meeting. John knew Maggie would help with the store if she could, but her mother needed her at the inn and they didn't want to start rumors. Maggie knew he knew this, just as she knew he knew she wanted to help him.

They tended to Blaze and when they were done, the cleaned up together. Then John offered Maggie his arm. "Shall we?"

"We're late," she replied. "But we shall," she finished with a grin.


	3. Chapter 2

Huh, well this is as much as I have written so far. That's sad- I thought I'd written more... apparently not.

disclaimer: not mine.

TWO

"**But one small girl watched and wondered, waited and wished longer than she could stand. And one snowy day she knocked at the stranger's door. "Hello," she said. "My name is Lucy. Do you need some help?" The man smiled warmly and nodded. Then he opened the door and Lucy steeped inside. A long counter ran down the side of the room. Bare shelves filled the opposite walls. In the back were dozens and dozens of barrels and crates. "Could you help me unpack?" the man asked."**

Lucy snuck quietly out the inn's back door. She held her breath when the door creaked as she slowly pulled it shut.

"Going somewhere?"

Lucy froze, "N-no."

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Do you think I'm simple, Lucy Marie Dollenhue?"

"No, Maggie," Lucy said obediently.

"Where are you going?" Maggie asked.

Lucy reconsidered her answer. "Mr. Sonneman's."

Maggie nodded. "Thank you. Why?"

"'Cause I'm sick of watching and waiting an' I'm sick of nothin' happenin'!" Lucy let out a month's worth of impatience.

Maggie looked amused. "Is that all."

Lucy nodded eagerly. "So can I go? You won't tell Mama will you?"

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Why o'course I'll be tellin' Mama, but it's not like she won't let _you_ go."

Lucy peered up at her older sister. "Do you wanna come with me?"

Maggie smiled down at her sweet sister. "I can't, Luce-goose, and you know it. Mama needs me to help out here."

"Oh," Lucy deflated. "Well," she hesitated, clearly reluctant. "I could stay too if you wanted." Lucy squeezed her eyes shut hoping Maggie would tell her to go ahead.

Maggie laughed. "Oh you silly Lucy. Of course I want you to," Maggie laughed harder when she saw the little girl's face fall. "But I think Mr. Sonneman needs you more than I do."

Lucy's face immediately brightened. "Really?"

Maggie nodded. "Really, go on. Tell him dinner will be ready at the usual time."

Lucy nodded and scampered down the road. "Whee!" she slid on a piece of ice. "Ouch," she fell on her butt. "That hurt." She stood up and brushed off her skirts. Her giggles faded when she realized she was standing outside the haunted house the old lady with the creepy cat lived in. Now quiet, she hurried the rest of the way to the store.

Shivering and wet, she knocked shyly on the door. John heard the knock on the door, the eyebrows on his face scrunching together in a line. He walked over to the door and opened it. "Yes?" There was no one there. He looked down and saw the girl. "Lucy?"

"Good morning, Mr. Sonneman," Lucy's teeth were chattering. "Maggie told me to tell you dinner will be at the same time as usual."

John tried not to look amused. The poor girl looked frozen. "Maggie sent you all the way out here to tell me dinner will be at the usual time?"

"No, sir," Lucy shook her head emphatically. "She figured you already knew, but I was comin' and she just wanted me to remind you of it, and that's all."

John failed at looking unmoved. "I see. And why were you comin' here?"

Lucy turned hesitant, "I was sittin' and watchin' you come'n'go 'n' work 'n' we all waited for you to finish or tell us what you're up to, and I- I got impatient," she finished shamefacedly.

John chuckled. "I see."

Lucy peeked at him. "So we were all watchin'n'waitin' and yesterday at supper Maggie observed you might be needin' some help."

John laughed outright. "Maggie observed did she?"

Lucy glared at him. "Don't go bad mouthin' my sister!"

John forced his face into a sober expression. "I wouldn't be dreamin' of it."

Lucy nodded, appeased. "Well okay then. So we were watchin'n'waitin' and I got to wonderin' if you might be needin' some help?"

John smiled warmly at Maggie's sister. He nodded, he knew she was a hard little worker. "Come in, get dry, warm up. I can't convince your Mama to return my little helper if I return her soaking wet with a cold."

Lucy stepped inside. "I don' get colds no more," she announced. "Big girls like me don't get no colds 'cause we're too big."

John chuckled. "That's right they don't, but you can't tell me Maggie's never had a cold."

"She has," Lucy admitted.

John smiled, "Well isn't Maggie a big girl?"

"Oh," Lucy looked disappointed. "Does that mean I can go gettin' a cold?"

John stepped aside. "You can if you don't come in 'n' get warm."

Without further ado, Lucy rushed into the warmth of the bare store. She gazed around in wonder, taking in the long counter that ran the length of one wall. There were shelves behind it, what for? And in the back were stacks of unopened boxes and barrels. "What can I do?" she asked.

"You can help me unpack," John replied, gesturing towards the stacked boxes.


	4. Chapter 3

K, so I have no idea where this is going. well, I do, but... it's not really going that far. And I haven't gotten any reviews. I need support people! jk. but, um, please? review? and I just wanted to say- nvm. I'll ask the end of the chapter...

THREE

"**Lucy's heart sank at the sight of all the boxes. What if they were only barrels of nails and bags of flour? But she removed her dripping boots and hung her coat on a peg. On stocking feet, she crossed the rough wooden floor and knelt beside a crate. "Please. Open it," the man urged. Slowly, Lucy put her hand into the box and pulled out an object wrapped in tissue. Round and heavy, it almost slipped through her fingers. Lucy trembled a little as she unwrapped it."**

Lucy watched John pull the boxes to the middle of the room with a worried face. What if the stuff was just barrels of nails and bags of flour? What if Mr. Sonneman was just another trader, here today, gone tomorrow?

She couldn't let that happen. What would happen to Maggie? Her resolve set, she removed her dripping coat and boots. She put the boots on a water mat and hung up the coat on a peg. She crossed the floor in her stockings.

She walked over to the crate near Mr. Sonneman and knelt down next to it. She reached to open it, then hesitated and pulled her hand back.

John smiled reassuringly. "Open it," he urged.

Lucy slowly lifted the lid off the crate. A puzzled look appeared on her face when she saw its contents. Lucy lifted out a round, tissue wrapped object. She held the object she lifted out of the crate in her hands. It was heavy. "What's this?"

John only smiled.

Lucy carefully unwrapped the object. She gasped in surprise and almost dropped it. "A jar!"

John laughed. He'd been afraid of her dropping it for a moment, but she seemed to have a good grip now. "Yes," he replied solemnly. "There are more, too."

Lucy reached back into the crate and pulled out another jar. This one was unwrapped and set on the floor. Then another one and another. Soon the counter and the floor around them was covered with all shapes and sizes of jars.

"Now," John said when they unpacked the very last crate of jars. "Every jar needs a lid." And he pulled out a box of lids.

Lucy ran from jar to jar, having fun trying to match the jars up with the right covers. It was getting late, but neither of them noticed.

Suddenly there was a gentle knock on the door. John went to answer it. It was Maggie. "Mr. Sonneman," Maggie spoke right away. "Is my sister here?"

Lucy came up behind John, wiping her hands on her little apron. "I'm right here, Maggie."

Maggie's focus left John for Lucy. "It's time to come home, Lucy. Mama needs us to get ready for dinner."

Lucy looked at John for confirmation. He nodded. She sighed and went to put on her coat and boots.

The other two were left with an awkward silence. "How is your setting up going?" Maggie asked. She caught a glimpse of the store over John's shoulder before he moved to block it. "It looks very…"

"Chaotic?" John suggested. "Messy?"

Maggie laughed. "I was _going_ to say _nice_."

John pretended to look appeased. "Ah, well, that's alright then." He stepped away from the door. "Would you like to come in?"

Hesitantly, Maggie stepped through the doorway. She stopped, dripping, at the door, looking in on the warm and friendly brown atmosphere. "It's beautiful, John."

John felt inordinately pleased. "Thank you."

Maggie started to take off her coat but then she paused. She shrugged back into her coat. "We really do need to go," she said. She took Lucy's coat from its peg and held it out to her sister. "Come on, Lucy."

Lucy looked sad. "Okay," she agreed reluctantly. Maggie helped her into her coat and she bent to pull on her boots.

Maggie looked at John. "Thank you, John."

John raised his eyebrows. "What for? It was my pleasure."

Maggie laughed. "Well thank you."

"You're welcome." He turned back into the store abruptly. "Tell your mother I will be along shortly," he said gruffly. "I have some fixing up to do first."

Maggie nodded. "I'll tell her."

Lucy stopped trying to pull on her boots and started trying to take them off again. "I could stay and help," she offered generously.

The corners of John's eyes wrinkled up and the corners of his mouth twitched. "That's alright, Lucy," he said seriously. "I think I can handle it."

Disappointed, Lucy finished tugging her boots on. She took the hand Maggie held out to her. "Bye, Mr. Sonneman," she said back as they walked out the door. She twisted to she could see him while they walked down the street. "I'll be back tomorrow!" she called. "You know, in case you need it."

John smiled at the little girl and her big sister's retreating backs. His smile faded as they disappeared from view. With a sigh he turned back to the shop and closed the door. He looked around. "It's good," he decided, satisfied.

He peeked out the window to make sure they were still far enough away before he blew out all the lanterns and locked the store up. Outside he shivered in the frigid air. In no time he was covered in snow and soaked to the bone. He was grateful that he'd left his faithful horse back at the stables where he'd be warm. He didn't like exposing Blaze to conditions like these. Too much cold and rain.

He hunched his shoulders against the cold and started his trek to the inn.

* * *

so do you want him (john) to get ambushed? or something? I dunno how I'd fit that in, but uh... just wondering. btw- sorry it's so short. I was/am experiencing some minor writer's block. It's temporary- I hope.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

~Misty


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